Comparing Chinese Enrichment (Primary/Preschool)

[bellyhoney]

Hi Lim_ks, no regret to send my sons to Xuelin. They really enjoy the class very much. Agreed, expensive as it may be but they produced results! P2 SA2, 63% to P3 CA1, 45/50. My P3 son is looking forward to the SA1(ha…ha…) as he says he will do well for his compo. Xuelin has given him the confidence in compo writing! my P1 doesn’t feedback as much as the P3 but I can sense that he is definitely enjoying his MT.

[mrswongtuition]

Smiley74:

Hi I m wandering if there is any Yishun or Pasir Ris mummy here?

Please recommend me a reasonably good Chinese Language centre?
Anyone has comments on Beijing Language school?

I send my 5yo to Beijing Language School at Punggol Plaza due to convenience.
So far he's doing well there. It might me that my expectations for Chinese is really low, so it seems like he's doing fantastic being able to write his difficult Chinese name (they've been training him since beginning of the year).

For PSLE kids, you might want to consider my centre for June holiday intensive course.

I've managed to persuade my friend who is a current school teacher teaching Higher Chinese for the past 5 years to conduct this course. She's local - effectively bilingual which helps shy students or students who tend to clam up in pure Mandarin speaking environment. And she's fun.
All materials and notes developed by her and students get to keep the notes. Suitable for P5 students too.

[shinystar]

Hi


Anyone has feedback on pre-primary chinese taught in SengKang CC? thks

[Dino_Mummy]

bakebean:

***Berries's experiences***

They have more \"art & craft\" hands-on and story based learning. But it didn't motivate my boy....
well, there was no improvement and when I spoke to the teacher, she said my boy had short attention span and not very responsive - 他集中力较差，也不发问。问他，只看着我。there was not much parents-teacher communication, be it after each class or end of each term. Plus the discouraging communication which somehow disappoint me.

Dino_Mummy: I totally agree

*** Tien Hsia's experience***
They have more writing and speech activities. My boy expressed no concern in attending the lesson and participate well in the lesson.

Teacher gave a quick update/reminder to parents after each lesson. At times when my boy turned wild in class, the teacher will put it in appropriate way -- 今天他精力非常旺盛，我就给他一个小角落养精蓄锐。

I took my son out of TH after a term as i am much convinced by my colleagues that Berries is \"better for Pre-school\"... Regret.

I enrol after trial and when i learnt there is \"last-minute withdraw\" by another mummy. After the first lesson, on the way back, DS asked me if i could let him to return to TH. I asked why, he shrugged and i thot he needed time to adjust... Second lesson, the same thing.

Third lesson, i went down 15-mins earlier to have a look (without anyone noticing me of course). The class teacher sounded/seemed irritated with kids at back of class making too much noise and distracted with the revision with DS. She pushed my DS's little table and passed DS to the assistant teacher to continue. She abruptly just moved on to the back of the class for story-telling - totally ignoring that she left my DS out! I saw DS glancing to the back of the class from time to time as the asst teacher was going through the rest of the revision (he is the last one of 1-to-1 word recognition revision) looking wishfully that he wants to listen to the story. How does he concentrate on the revision like that?!

As bakebean aptly put it - Tien Hsia's teacher spent some time with every single parent to brief on the child's progress after each class. Berries - there are two teachers! Still, when giving feedback, bad attitude in communicating.

My son is repulsed by thought of going to Berries - never happened when i send him to Tien Hsia. He told me the teacher at Berries (Hougang) is 'fierce and unfriendly, i don't like...\" Doesn't even want to step in the class and insisted we wait outside for him.

I send him to a chinese enrichment class to interest him in the language in a group learning (fun) environment. Not to put him off.

Summary
The teacher assigned to a class is very important. Berries which seemed to enjoy better recognition for pre-school, is not necessarily the best option.

Tien Hsia is just as good, if not, better. At least Tien Hsia at Bishan CC works for me.

PS: I am in no way related to any persons working in / related to Tien Hsia. Just sharing for parents considering between the two.

[cnh]

Hi


Any comments on Tien Hsia at Jurong Point? Thks in adv.

[Verysuperkiasu]

cnh:

Hi


Any comments on Tien Hsia at Jurong Point? Thks in adv.

My dd has been with TH at JP since P3. She is now in P5. But I sent her to the comprehension and composition class. So far, the teacher didn't really voluntarily communicate with parents after each class (unless parents approached) but does give some written feedback about progress after each term. According to my dd, she enjoys the class because of the incentives like accumulated chops will get some prize. She likes the teacher and friends who have been with her since P3. She learns many new phrases and she says the teacher makes an attempt to revise the 'old' phrases they learnt as they progress along - so what's learnt is not forgotten. So far, her zuo wen in school is improving. so I've no regrets.

[tinkertinker10]

Tot I should share here.


My sis wanted best of both world so put twins boy in berries & tien hsia separately from K1 to P3. They are in the same school and same class now. Her boy in TH has good score above 95, represented the school for many CL competitions. Accordingly to my sis, TH has ‘speech & drama’ presentation for kids to perform to the parents so he gained the confidence and can speak well. Furthermore, TH goes with the MOE teaching so her boy was well exposed to what was needed for Primary school. Her Boy in berries score around 65. She has a headache cos berries boy refuse to change to TH so she engaged another private tutor to coach him. They are always fighting for better results and has about 5 marks difference in all the other subjects but slightly big gap in CL:(

[Verysuperkiasu]

tinkertinker10:

Tot I should share here.


My sis wanted best of both world so put twins boy in berries & tien hsia separately from K1 to P3. They are in the same school and same class now. Her boy in TH has good score above 95, represented the school for many CL competitions. Accordingly to my sis, TH has 'speech & drama' presentation for kids to perform to the parents so he gained the confidence and can speak well. Furthermore, TH goes with the MOE teaching so her boy was well exposed to what was needed for Primary school. Her Boy in berries score around 65. She has a headache cos berries boy refuse to change to TH so she engaged another private tutor to coach him. They are always fighting for better results and has about 5 marks difference in all the other subjects but slightly big gap in CL:(

Thanks for sharing, tinkertinker10

You're right - TH is quite result oriented and follows MOE syllabus closely - that's what I wanted. So I guess it depends on what the parents want.

It's really not very healthy if there's too much sibling rivalry - might create resentment btwn them. Hopefully both your nephews will perform equally well.

[BigDad]

I would say TH is much better especially in terms of preparing for PSLE. Berries is better for younger kids, in my opinion. However, for my older kid, I switched over to TH too late and the materials too difficult so in the end I got one to one tuition. It would be good if you can start your child at TH before they reach P4 and above.

[laughingcat]

Thank you bigdad and thinkthinker10 for sharing your perspectives.


My DS1 is going to P1 next year and i have been contemplating about the move to TH. it is not an easy decision because both my DS love the chinese class at Berries alot. Also over the years we have developed a close partnership with the teachers as well.